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Hamilton linked to Mercedes future

Lewis Hamilton, above, has net to resign with his current team, McLaren, which is fueling speculation that he will leave at the end of the season. Photo by LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

TV pundit Eddie Jordan has created a stir by suggesting that Lewis Hamilton could be heading for Mercedes-Benz.

Hamilton has yet to agree to terms with McLaren for 2013 and beyond, and Mercedes is one of the few logical destinations for the Brit should he decide to leave.

McLaren has made it clear that it cannot meet Hamilton's current salary demands, with the need to pay for Mercedes engines from 2013 eating into its budget and rumors that title sponsor Vodafone could be on the verge of leaving.

A move to Mercedes would reunite Hamilton with his longtime friend Nico Rosberg, who has a multi-year contract with the team.

More importantly, Mercedes looks set to take a step forward in 2013 as its stellar technical team will have been working together for a year, and the team could have a very attractive package.

That would only be possible if Michael Schumacher is heading for a second retirement, and Bernie Ecclestone added fuel to the fire at Spa when he suggested to the BBC that Schumacher would be retiring, saying: “I'm sorry that he's leaving us not being a winner, because he is a winner.”

Jordan, who remains well connected and has been known to correctly predict driver moves in the past, remains convinced.

“I believe Hamilton and Mercedes have already agreed [to] personal terms and a deal could be imminent,” he said on the BBC Web site.

“Some weeks ago, I said on TV that I felt Lewis was on the move and I had an idea at the time he had been speaking to Ferrari, which we now know is true.

“But I can now confirm his people have had meetings with Mercedes. Bernie Ecclestone made it clear to me live on television on Sunday that Schumacher was leaving, although Schumacher later played it down. So, it would appear Michael is leaving and Lewis is arriving at Mercedes.”

There have also been question marks about the commitment of Mercedes to its works team, but Hamilton could go some way toward keeping the Stuttgart board happy.